VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

The Home Depot, Inc. vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

The Home Depot, Inc.

HD · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$372.7B
Gross margin (TTM)33.4%
Operating margin (TTM)13%
Net margin (TTM)8.8%
SectorConsumer
IndustryHome Improvement
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
69/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into The Home Depot, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HD analysis

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

VRTX · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
IndustryBiotechnology
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-08
Moat score
99/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View VRTX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated leads (99 / 100 vs 69 / 100 for The Home Depot, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: The Home Depot, Inc. has 2 segments (96% in Primary segment - North American home improvement retail (stores + online)); Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 3 segments (99.9% in Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: The Home Depot, Inc. has 4 moat types across 2 domains; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

The Home Depot, Inc.

Primary segment - North American home improvement retail (stores + online)

Market

Home improvement retail (omnichannel)

Geography

North America (US, Canada, Mexico)

Customer

DIY homeowners and professional contractors

Role

Retailer

Revenue share

96%

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators

Market

CFTR modulator therapies for cystic fibrosis

Geography

U.S., Europe, Australia, Canada

Customer

Patients (via specialty pharmacies/payers); CF care centers

Role

Drug developer/manufacturer

Revenue share

99.9%

Side-by-side metrics

The Home Depot, Inc.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
HD - New York Stock Exchange
VRTX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$372.7B
$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
33.4%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
13%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
8.8%
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Healthcare
Industry
Home Improvement
Biotechnology
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Primary segment - North American home improvement retail (stores + online)
Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
Market structure
Competitive
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
n/a
70%-78% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Strong
Moat score
69 / 100
99 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Legal, Demand, Financial, Supply
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-08

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

The Home Depot, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityDistribution ControlProcurement InertiaScale Economies Unit Cost

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths

IP Choke PointGovernment Contracting RelationshipsSwitching Costs GeneralBenchmark Pricing PowerRegulated Standards PipeService Field NetworkCapacity Moat

Segment mix

The Home Depot, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Primary segment - North American home improvement retail (stores + online)

Competitive

96%

Other - Specialty trade distribution (SRS: roofing, landscape, pool)

Competitive

4%

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated segments

Full profile >

Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators

Quasi-Monopoly

99.9%

Hemoglobinopathies Gene Therapy (CASGEVY)

Oligopoly

0.1%

Acute Pain (JOURNAVX)

Competitive

n/a

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

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Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.